Checklist · 10 min

SharePoint Permissions Cleanup Checklist

A pre- and post-migration checklist for cleaning SharePoint permissions, reducing oversharing risk, and validating access after migration.

Before migration

  • Identify broken inheritance, unique permissions, direct user grants, external users, anonymous links, orphaned owners, and sensitive libraries.
  • Replace direct grants with Microsoft 365 groups or security groups where practical.
  • Confirm site owners and business approvers before permission changes.
  • Document intentional exceptions instead of assuming every legacy permission should be preserved.

During migration

  • Validate source-to-target permission mapping on pilot sites before using it in production waves.
  • Flag high-risk sharing links, unmanaged guests, folder-level grants, and external access for owner review.
  • Test with real users from multiple roles, not only site collection administrators.
  • Keep a log of access decisions that were changed during migration so support teams can answer user questions.

After migration

  • Review access with site owners and confirm that business-critical users can work without over-broad permissions.
  • Apply sharing defaults, sensitivity labels, retention policies, audit logging, and governance controls.
  • Set recurring permission review cadence for high-value sites, external collaboration spaces, and regulated content.
  • Close migration waves only after access validation and owner signoff are complete.

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